Points for creativity, but not stupidity

Some of them are cool, others strange, and still others you just really can’t tell. In Eurobike Hot or Not? we take a look at some of the show’s curiosities and make our call on ‘em. Chime in with a comment and let us know what you think.

Qloom Fraser Baggy Bib Shorts

Our first reaction to these was unkind, but the more we got to thinking, the more we appreciated this concept. At Mtbr we have staffers who love bib shorts and others who hate ‘em. Not surprisingly the opinions went along these lines. What say you, dear readers?

Our verdict: HOT

Pronghorn PR6XC

Danish brand Pronghorn showed their interesting Anti-Power Loss System (APLS) top-mounted shock bikes at Eurobike, and while they didn’t seem like a good idea to us, apparently somebody really liked it—one of their display bikes was stolen from their booth last Friday night.

Our verdict: NOT

Mondraker Podium

Mondraker’s Podium carbon XC rigs cast a unique silhouette with their hunch-back style top tube that morphed into a time trial bike-looking integrated stem. Throw RockShox’s inverted RS-1 into the mix and you’ve got a whole lotta WTFudge goin’ on.

Our verdict: NOT

Corratec Data Acquisition Mule

Sitting next to a bunch of truly beautiful, perfectly manicured carbon production bikes in the Corratec booth was this Frankenstein of a beast. But you know what? We love it. Its amalgamation of unsightly boxes and bars and wires and sensors means engineers are using data attained in real world riding situations to build better bikes.

Our verdict: HOT

Unidentified Furry E-Fatbike

This monstrosity was so shockingly scary we took a picture and ran away without getting any details, or even the name of the manufacturer. Whatever this fetish is, we’re not into it.

Our verdict: Definitely NOT

Cube HPC SLT 29

Though Cube has many very cool bikes not readily in the US we’re salivating over, the HPC SLT 29 is not one of them. While we don’t have anything particularly against e-bikes being ridden where they belong and are allowed, putting a motor on a thoroughbred XC bike with a RockShox RS-1 is overkill and—pun intended—a buzzkill.

Our verdict: NOT

Vaude Manaki Puffy Shorts

Designed for riding in cold temps, Vaude’s PrimaLoft insulated Manaki shorts are by definition hot. There’s also whatever that woman in the background is doing.

Our verdict: HOT

This article is part of Mtbr’s coverage of the 2014 Eurobike trade show in Freidrichschafen, Germany. For more from Eurobike CLICK HERE.

Chicago-born Don Palermini became a cycling-based life-form in the sixth grade after completing a family road bike tour of his home state. Three years later he bought his first mountain bike to help mitigate the city's pothole-strewn streets, and began exploring the region's unpaved roads and trails. Those rides sparked a much larger journey which includes all manner of bike racing, commuting, on- and off-road bike advocacy, and a 20-plus-year marketing career in the cycling industry that landed him at his current gig with Santa Cruz bicycles. Now residing in the San Francisco Bay Area, his four favorite words in the English language are "breakfast served all day," together in that order.

Can someone expand on why the Pronghorn top-mounted shock idea is deemdd bad? Seems like the location keeps the shock clean and allows easy access to the lockout controls. From what I see, it also isn’t very different from an under-tube mount as far as linkages. Just curious.

Joey, Thanks for your kind words–they make me feel young again. There’s many bike designs that work just like the Pronghorn, except they put the shock underneath the top tube because it looks cleaner, can be done with less material and makes cable routing much easier. Pronghorn is a stunt conducted simply for shock value with no discernible advantage–which sounds like it should be right up your alley. Enjoy the ride. – Don

Fair enough. I see your point, especially the reservoir shock bit, but I’m not sure I fully agree there’s a huge level of danger from that placement. If you’re in a position to wack your sack on the tube/shock that close to the seattube, you’re also getting the point of the seat in the back at the same time, and I think that’d be an odd occurrence. Still, were it to occur, I guess I wouldn’t want the ProPedal injection in addition.

If I remember correctly…someone tried this out a couple years ago like Pronghorn’s design. The shock heats up with the more it has to work. When that happens and skin touches it(a la legs inadvertently touching on the sides) then it sizzles and burns. Air shocks have oil in them and when that oil has to work repeatedly then it heats up. Not hard to figure out the rest. Well, unless you want to be branded I suppose.

@Cranky Old Man… THAT is the kind of response I was fishing for. Hadn’t thought about heat as a possible issue. Never noticed my shock getting hot to the touch, but it seems possible, and if so, that’s not a good thing! I’m going to investigate on my own ride.